Richard Walton, an 84-year-old activist, writer and teacher, lost his battle with leukemia on Dec. 27, 2012. A longtime resident of Pawtuxet Village, Walton was known for his activism against poverty, homelessness and hunger.

Richard Walton, an 84-year-old activist, writer and teacher, lost his battle with leukemia on Dec. 27, 2012. A longtime resident of Pawtuxet Village, Walton was known for his activism against poverty, homelessness and hunger. A graduate of Brown University, he served in the U.S. Navy before attending the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. He worked for the Providence Journal, among other publications, and wrote 12 books during his career, focusing mostly on American history, politics and foreign policy. He also worked in education, teaching at Rhode Island College for more than 25 years. In 1984, he was the vice presidential nominee of the short-lived Citizens Party, before becoming an early member of the Green Party of Rhode Island. A link to commentary on by Herb Weiss below. (Herald file photo by John Howell)